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PM Kim says Trump positive about dialogue with N. Korea's Kim but leaves open its timing
South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Friday that US President Donald Trump remained positive about the resumption of dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un but left open the question of when they will meet again. Kim made the remarks during a press briefing on the 20-minute talks with Trump at the White House, underlining Trump's show of interest in diplomacy with Pyongyang amid speculation that he could seek a meeting with the North Korean leader during his upcoming trip to Chin
March 14, 2026 -
Air China to resume Beijing-Pyongyang flights after 6-year suspension
China’s national carrier Air China will resume passenger flights between Beijing and Pyongyang for the first time in six years, according to reports Friday. The airline plans to restart flights from Beijing to the North Korean capital starting Aug. 25, the reports said. The route had been suspended since 2020 as cross-border travel was halted following the outbreak of COVID-19. The move comes as China and North Korea gradually restore cross-border exchanges that had been largely frozen during th
March 13, 2026 -
S. Korea warns of stern response to Japan PM's renewed Dokdo claim
South Korea's foreign ministry said Friday it will take stern action against Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's renewed territorial claim over the easternmost South Korean islets of Dokdo. "We will respond firmly and sternly to any unjust claims by Japan regarding Dokdo," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "Dokdo is clearly our territory historically, geographically and under international law." On Thursday, Takaichi said Japan would clearly inform the international community that D
March 13, 2026 -
President Lee Jae Myung to hold summit with France’s Macron during state visit
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will hold a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron on April 3 during Macron’s state visit to South Korea, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday. According to Cheong Wa Dae, Macron's state visit will take place from April 2 to 3 at Lee’s invitation. Macron will be the first European leader to make a state visit since the launch of Lee’s administration. The trip will also mark the first visit to South Korea by a French president in 11 years and Macron’s first visit
March 13, 2026 -
PM Kim Min-seok meets Vance in Washington to discuss trade, investment plan
South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met US Vice President JD Vance in Washington on Thursday, where the two discussed bilateral trade issues, including the implementation of a Korea-US investment framework agreed upon by President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump last year. Vance welcomed the South Korean National Assembly passing the US investment bill, and called for continued close cooperation between the two countries, South Korean the Prime Minister's Office said Friday. "(I
March 13, 2026 -
S. Korea, US agree on need to implement summit agreements in 'balanced' manner: Seoul official
South Korea and the United States agreed Thursday on the need to work together to ensure that their joint summit agreements on trade and security are implemented in a "balanced" manner, rather than prioritizing certain areas, a Seoul official said. A senior foreign ministry official made the remarks following the meeting between Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Eui-hae and Michael DeSombre, US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. DeSombre, who took office as the top dipl
March 12, 2026 -
The calculus behind Pyongyang's support for Tehran
North Korea’s swift backing of Iran after joint US-Israeli strikes appears to serve purposes far beyond routine diplomatic solidarity. By rallying behind Tehran, Pyongyang is signaling its intention to draw closer to Russia, Iran’s key partner, through carefully calibrated messaging that keeps it at arm’s length from the conflict. From the standpoint of regime security, the Kim Jong Un regime’s denunciation of the strikes as a violation of sovereignty functions as preemptive political signaling
March 12, 2026 -
Trump says 'we've won' in war with Iran
US President Donald Trump claimed Wednesday that "we've won" in the war against Iran after he said in a media interview that the ongoing conflict will end "soon" as there is "practically nothing left to target." Trump made the remarks during a public event in Hebron, Kentucky, as the US military operation, codenamed "Operation Epic Fury," entered its 12th day, seeking to destroy Iran's missile capabilities and its Navy, and sever any pathway to nuclear arms. "Let me say we've won. ... You never
March 12, 2026 -
Trump says war with Iran will end 'soon' as 'practically nothing left to target': Axios
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the war with Iran will end "soon" as there is "practically nothing left to target," according to a news report, as concerns continue over the impact of the conflict on oil prices and the global economy. Trump made the remarks in a five-minute phone interview with Axios, as the US military operation, codenamed "Operation Epic Fury," entered its 12th day, seeking to destroy Iran's missile capabilities and its Navy, and sever any pathway to nuclear arms
March 12, 2026 -
US launches Section 301 trade investigation into S. Korea, China, Japan, 13 other economies: USTR
US President Donald Trump's administration opened a trade inquiry into South Korea, China, Japan and 13 other economies to uncover "unfair" trade practices related to "structural" excess capacity and production, a move that might result in tariffs, the US Trade Representative said Wednesday. In a press call, USTR Jamieson Greer said that the Trump administration published a Federal Register notice initiating an investigation under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act -- a legal provision that allow
March 12, 2026 -
S. Korea, Ghana leaders seek tangible cooperation on security, critical minerals
The leaders of South Korea and Ghana agreed to work closely together to deliver tangible results across a range of sectors, including the economy, maritime security and critical minerals, according to Cheong Wa Dae. The agreement was reached at President Lee Jae Myung's summit with Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who is on a working visit to South Korea, on Wednesday afternoon at the presidential office in Seoul. Mahama’s visit marks the first by an African head of state since Lee took o
March 11, 2026 -
Senior US diplomat to discuss alliance issues in Seoul
Michael DeSombre, the US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, is scheduled to visit South Korea on Wednesday for talks on a range of alliance issues, officials said. According to South Korea’s Foreign Ministry and diplomatic sources, DeSombre will stay in the country through March 15, with his official schedule beginning Thursday. During the visit, he is expected to meet with senior South Korean officials, including Jeong Yeon-doo, Seoul’s chief representative for Nor
March 11, 2026 -
US Senate Democrats warn Trump policies unsettling South Korea-US alliance
Democratic members of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee warned the South Korea-US alliance is facing mounting strain under the Donald Trump administration, citing a series of recent developments ranging from the detention of Korean workers in Georgia to pressure on Seoul to approve massive investments in the US. In a 56-page minority report titled “The Price of Retreat 2.0: Undermining America’s Economic Edge and Alliance Advantage,” released Tuesday in the US, committee Democrats argued
March 11, 2026 -
S. Korea, Ghana leaders meet to broaden cooperation on maritime security, climate
The leaders of South Korea and Ghana met in Seoul to expand cooperation in the areas of the economy, maritime security and climate change, among others. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama held a summit at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday afternoon during Mahama’s working visit to South Korea. As the outcome of the summit, the two sides also signed a series of agreements aimed at broadening cooperation in maritime security, climate change and digital innovat
March 11, 2026 -
'Ghana Chocolate' for Ghana's president
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung presented Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama with specially produced chocolate during their summit in Seoul, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday. Mahama arrived in South Korea a day earlier for talks with Lee. According to presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung, Ghana chocolate was chosen as a symbolic gift because in South Korea, Ghana is closely associated with the popular brand, which uses over 80 percent Ghanaian cacao beans in its product. The packaging was
March 11, 2026